Acute kidney injury in pediatric patients: experience of a single center during an 11-year period

The aim of our study was to determine the causes of acute kidney injury (AKI) in children, to compare outcomes between two periods – 1998–2003 and 2004-2008 – and to evaluate the influence of new methods of renal replacement therapy on mortality.
Material and methods. A retrospective analysis of medical record data of all children treated for AKI at the Clinic of Children Diseases, Hospital of Kaunas University of Medicine, during the period of 1998–2008 was made. Both periods were compared regarding various variables.
Results. Of the 179 children with AKI, 75 (41.9%) were treated during 1998–2003 and 104 (58.1%) during 2004–2008. Primary glomerular disease and sepsis were the leading causes of AKI in both the periods. AKI without involvement of other organs was diagnosed for 106 (59.2%) children: for 42 (56.0%) children in the first period and 64 (61.5%) in the second. A total of 124 (69.3%) children were treated in a pediatric intensive care unit. Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome with AKI was diagnosed for 33 (44%) patients in the first period and for 40 (38.5%) in the second. A significant decrease in mortality among patients with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome during the second period was observed (78.8% vs. 37.5%).
Conclusions. More than half of patients had secondary acute kidney injury of nonrenal origin. More than two-thirds (69.3%) of patients with AKI were treated in the pediatric intensive care unit. Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome was diagnosed for 40.8% of children with AKI. Renal replacement therapy was indicated for one-third of patients with AKI. A 2.5-fold decrease in mortality was observed in the second period as compared to the first one.